Can you boost your metabolism by eating more? Well, not really more food, but rather “more often.” Experts say that eating six small meals a day can help you slim down your waistline. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, people who eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day are 45% more likely to beat obesity than their “3 square meals a day” counterparts.

But what defines a “small” meal? First, you’ll need to figure out how many calories you want to consume each day to help you meet your weight-control goals. For example, a 150-pound woman who burns an average of 1,900 calories a day being lightly active and who is looking to lose weight might want to reduce her calorie intake to about 1,400 calories to lose a pound a week ( - 500 calories a day x 7 days a week = 1 pound weight loss).

To eat six small meals a day, she should divide 1,400 by six, which is 233 calories. This means that at every “mini-meal” she should be eating around 230 calories, or she could eat three meals at around 300 calories and three more snack-like meals at about 166 calories.

If you’re not trying to lose weight but still want to improve your metabolism for more energy, simply divide your basal metabolic rate by six and use the same formula. Without dieting, this woman would divide 1,900 calories by six and eat six 316-calorie meals or three 400 calorie meals and three 233 calorie meals.

Eating more often revs up your metabolism and will give you all-day energy, so why not give it a try?